Igniter for explosive-engines



(No Model.)

T. G. CANTRELL. IGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

No. 564,737. Patented July 28, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

THOMAS G. CANTRELL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAliIFORNlA;

IGNITER FOREXPLOSlVE-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,737, dated July 28, 1896.

Application filed April 15, 1896. Serial No- 587,579. No model- To all whom it may concern:

Be .it known that I, THOMAS G. CAN'TRELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement tionary electrode is a spring-strip in itself,

adapting it by its own resiliency to yield and to return again. The serious objections to this form of electrode has led to the use, in some instances, of an electrode rigid in itself,

but having such connections that it can yield and return again, said connections being controlled by a spring which accomplishes the necessary result. In the last-named construction it is usual tohinge or pivot the fixed electrode to its connections, and the controlling-sprin g operates indirectly or through intervenin g mechanism to control the electrode, as it is not practicable to control it directly on account of subjecting the spring to the heat within the explosion or combustion chamber, thereby quickly destroying it; but even where this difficulty'is avoided the connections through which the remote spring operates have been in part, at least, located within the combustion orcxplosion chamber, or so near thereto as to be subject to extreme heat and to be injured thereby and to even sufi'er injury through disuse by becoming rusted.

My invention has for ts object the overcoming of these difiicult-ies by providing such connections for the yielding rigid electrode that they will not be subjected to injurious influences, but maybe wholly outside of the cylinder and within reach and even within sight, so that their proper operation maybe always observed.

My invention consists in the improved arrangement, construction, and combination of these connections, whichI shall now describe by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure]. is an elevation of my device. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the foot I) and the rigid electrode Fig.3 isa bottom view of'same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line .1.- a: of Fig. l.

A is the cylinder of an explosive-engine.

B is the movable electrode which, in this instance, is shown as a revolving one, being carriedby a stem 1), which extends to the outside of the cylinder and maybe driven by suitable connections, unnecessary herein to show.

C is the statimlary yielding elect rode, which consists of a bar wholly rigid in .itself,'said bar being secured by its stem or shank to a cross-foot D of a stem I, which extends ,upwardly through a suitable stuffing-box (represented by F) screwed into the wall of the cylinder and properly insulated therefrom. The

stem is guided above by a bracket G, and has It. will now be seen that when the movable electrode 13 comes-around to and in contact with the stationary rigid electrode 0 the latter will yield before it,turnin g with the stem E, and when the movable electrode has slipped by, the spring K will, acting through the slidipg pin J bearing againstt-he lugl, cause said stem to return to its normal position, and thus cause the stat ion ary electrode to resume its initial place.

The contacting surfaces of the -l ugI and thehead of the spring-controlled sliding pin J thus fully control the axially-oscillatory movement of the stem on both sides, and even if it should slipbeyolul its normal movement the head of the pin and the lug will simply contact. on other faces of the latter,

and nothing will occur except that the stationary electrode will be out of position; but this, as well as the necessity for any repairs,

and the fact of the proper operation and adjustment of the parts, can all be seen from outside, and these parts are not subjected to the heat of the cylinder and will not sulfer any iniury. Nothing is within'the cylinden that can be injured.

The stationary electrode may be adjusted in the cross-foot D, to which it is secured, by

having its stem or shank slide in a groove (2 therein, andbe set in any position by the overlapping head of the screw 01.

Having thus described-my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secu re by Letters Patent, isi 1. In an igniter for explosive-engine's, and in combination with a rigid electrode, an

axially-oscillatory stem to which said electrode is secured, said stem passing outside of the cylinder, a lug upon said stem, outside of the cylinder, a slidingpin bearing against the lug, and a spring acting against said pin to hold it in contact with the lug.

2. In an igniter for explosive engines, the combination of a rigid electrode, an axiallyoscillatory stem to which it is secured, said stem passing outside of the cylinder, a flat- :5

faced lug'upon said stem outside of the cylinder, a laterally-projecting sliding pin having a head incontact with said flat-faced lug, and a spring impinging against the end of the pin to hold its head in contact with the 30 lug.

3. In an igniter for explosive-engines, the combination of a rigid electrode, a grooved foot in which said electrode is adjustably fitted, a stem to which the foot is secured, 35

said stem passingontside of the cylinder, a

hand.

THOMAS G. CANTRELL.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, JESSIE C. Bnonln. 

